“Would you stop?” Quinn snaps, yanking her husband’s plate back toward her so she can continue to pick off it, having already polished off her food. “Do you want to be the reason your child starves, Starch?”
He smirks, his handsome face more boyish than those of the other men at our table. If I wasn’t already tumbling head over heels for a certain dark cowboy, I might find Tate Montgomery attractive. He shrugs and I hear Leighton snicker from across the round table. My gaze moves to her and she winks before mouthing something about waiting for it. I frown in confusion before she points to the two Montgomerys.
“Grease, there’s no way my baby is starvin’ in there,” he jokes, pointing to her very big stomach. I know he meant it harmlessly, but judging by the expression on Quinn’s beautiful face, she doesn’t feel the same way. “Now, don’t go lookin’ at me like that, Quinn. You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Oh really?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest, which is no easy feat, seeing as she’s top-heavy and belly-heavy.
“You know I love your body,” Tate tells her sincerely, but she doesn’t stop leveling him with a glare.
“You mean the body that keeps growin’ as big as a house, keepin’ your baby from starvin’ because I’m storin’ food in there for him, or somethin’?”
Tate looks up at the ceiling and I hear Leighton chuckle a little louder.
“Give it a break, Hell-raiser,” Maverick mumbles around a forkful of barbecue. “You know damn well he didn’t mean what you’re implyin’. Just because you’re in a shit mood, don’t take it out on your man.”
“He’s the one who put me in jail!”
This time, Leighton doesn’t keep her hilarity down. She starts laughing so hard, I can’t stop watching her belly with worry that she’s shaking her baby up in there. Surely it’s not good for it to move that much. “He didn’t put you in jail, Q! Don’t be such a drama queen.”
Quinn turns her narrowed eyes at Leighton. “You aren’t the one stuck talkin’ to herself while her husband is off playin’ inside other women’s vaginas.”
My eyes widen and I feel my cheeks heat as heads start turning in our direction. Maverick has his fork frozen halfway to his mouth, staring at his sister in shock. Leigh is hooting even harder now. Tate, having clearly heard this many times, just looks down at his plate with a smirk. When I look up at Clayton, he’s wearing the same expression as his brother.
I try to ignore the stares as Quinn continues to grumble about her vagina-poking husband, but it’s almost impossible when it feels like the whole place can’t take their eyes off our table. I’m used to the curious looks when I’m out with Clayton or even the girls, but they’re never as bad as when all six of us are together. When you factor in Quinn’s shameless way of saying whatever is on her mind, it really does feel like we’re on display.
“You get used to it,” Maverick grumbles, and I look to my right to see him studying me with understanding. “Took me a while when I got back to Pine Oak. I forgot what it was like to live in a town where everyone treated other people’s lives like a soap opera.”
“How do you ignore the stares?”
He shrugs. “You just stop carin’ what they think. Only person whose opinion matters to me is my wife’s. They’re gonna think what they want regardless of the truth, so you might as well just pretend they don’t exist.”
“But doesn’t it bother you when you hear them talkin’ about you and it’s not true?”
His mouth moves, not into a full smile, but it’s not a hard line anymore. “They’re not ever gonna spread the truth when they can stretch it and fill in the less interestin’ parts with lies. You just live your life and make sure you keep yourself happy. The rest of that shit can go to hell.”
I lean back in my chair and look around. Just like Maverick, everyone eating with us is oblivious to the stares from the tables surrounding us in the packed restaurant. Just like when we’re at the PieHole or even grabbing groceries, people have no qualms about gawking.
The Davis family is Pine Oak royalty, so it shouldn’t be a shock, but for someone like me, who isn’t used to it, it’s a struggle. I never did look at the attention with such an untroubled and relaxed mind-set as Maverick does, though. In my mind, I’m still afraid of what they think, but in reality, what does it matter? I’ve got a great man, his family welcomes me with open arms, and other than the uncertainty of where I’ll reopen The Sequel, life is perfect.
I turn to see Clayton regarding me in silence and feel the last tiny part of unease fall to the wayside. A wide smile forms on my face, and I direct all the newfound freedom I feel at him. It’s his affections, after all, that have shown me how to complete the puzzle inside of me—that have allowed me to finally shed the past and start living.
The chatter at our table fades away when I see his eyes flash. I know we haven’t said those three special words, but when he gives me this unguarded focus, I have no doubts that they’re there.
I never stood a chance at keeping my heart from him. Not when he makes me feel like nothing is impossible.
“Hey! Earth to the lovebirds,” Quinn yells across the table, breaking the moment with her snapping fingers. “Did you tell her yet?”
“Shut up, Quinnie,” Clayton scolds, frowning at his sister.
“What?” She glances around, taking a bite of her husband’s sandwich. “You didn’t say it was some big secret.”
“What are you talkin’ about?” I ask.
Clayton sighs, glaring at her a second longer before turning to look at me. “I planned to surprise you later, but since my sister has a mouth the size of Texas, might as well do it now.”
“Oh, come on! You didn’t tell me not to say anything. How was I supposed to know?”
“I don’t know, Quinn, maybe because I said don’t tell Linney so I can make sure it’s what she wants before you get excited?”
She waves a hand in the air. “Potato, potahto, big brother.”
Clayton sighs, but smiles at his sister.
“Well, now that you two got that out of the way, how about one of you spill the beans so everyone else—including Caroline—can know what’s goin’ on?” Leigh jokes.
“I have a place I think would be great for The Sequel,” Clayton tells me.
Of all the things I thought he’d say, that didn’t even cross my mind. My heart picks up as happiness fills me to the point of bursting with the knowledge that even with how busy he’s been, he’s been looking for something better than the Jordans’ place next to the salon.
“Really?” I gasp with excitement.
“The buildin’ next to Davis Auto Works went up for sale a few years back. We bought it with plans to either use it for storage or expand, but never really had time to deal with either. I think you’ll find it’s perfect, but I wanted to run it by Quinn before I said anything. The last time we talked about it, we’d decided that D.A.W. didn’t need anything bigger, and the setup we have now for storage works. I had every intention of listin’ it but never got around to it. Feels like one of those meant-to-be things, sweetness,” he explains with a shrug of his shoulders, downplaying just how huge this actually is.
“You want me to buy it from you?” I question, excitement bubbling through me even more. “I’d love to see the space, but I trust you. Given that it’s in my budget and all.”
His face gets soft and he gives me his knee-weakening grin. “Linney, you think I’m gonna take a single penny from you, you’ve lost your mind.” Clearly seeing the argument forming, he raises a hand and closes it over my mouth. “Another one of those things we’re buildin’, darlin’. The Sequel is a part of you, and you are a part of me. You get that fire bubblin’ over the teacup and I’m gonna have fun showin’ you another way to toss that sass around.”
My mouth moves, but he doesn’t take his hand away, so the words just come out garbled.
“You gonna let me do this if you like the space?”
I shake my head and narrow my eyes.
“You need me to love you bad and change your answer?” he smarts off with a low rumble of his voice, eyes dancing with amusement.
I pause long enough to show him that I’m not unaffected by that in the least. He throws back his head, a booming laugh rocking his body before he drops his hand.
“You are not givin’ me a buildin’,” I finally say when he quiets down. “You can’t just give someone somethin’ as big as a buildin’ and think that’s okay.”
He leans toward me till we’re nose-to-nose and effectively kills any chance I had at arguing logic with him. “Caroline Michaels, you gave me back a life worth livin’. The way I see it, a buildin’ isn’t even close to big enough to make us even.”
Everyone laughs when I lean back in my chair and shut my mouth. Even being the butt of their laughter, I don’t feel the old feelings of nervous unease. Not now. All I feel is contentment so deep in my bones I don’t think I’ll ever be afraid of my own shadow again.
I’m finally living a life free of trepidation and wild with adoration. Who would’ve thought that one night with a dark cowboy would heal my soul of fear?
I’m still riding the high of having my own space thirty minutes later when we leave the restaurant, Clayton and I following the other two couples. His arm is over my shoulders, pressing me tight to his side as we walk. I have one behind his back and one resting against his abs. When we stop next to his truck, I lift the hand off his stomach and bring it to his neck, pulling him down and pressing my mouth to his. He doesn’t pause, deepening our kiss instantly. I hear the others talking as they move to their vehicles, but don’t pull away. When Clayton turns us and moves my front to press more firmly against his, with both his hands on my bottom, I smile against his mouth and lift my head to look up at him.
“What was that for?” he asks, his voice thick with the same pleasure I feel shooting through me.
“Thank you,” I answer simply.
His expression changes into one that makes my heart pick up speed. He’s gazing down at me like I just gave him the world in the palm of my hand. His eyes are shining bright, the swirls of green so luminous that they look like the clearest emerald stone. His whole face is smiling. One hand leaves my butt, grabs the hand not holding his neck, and pulls it to his chest. His heartbeat hits my palm with a frantic tempo as his gaze holds mine.
I open my mouth to give him every last piece of me, but before I can, the magical moment is shattered. I hear my name called in a vile tone that belongs to one woman and one woman alone. Only unlike the last time, I don’t feel the same panic that had me bolting—not with Clayton’s arms safely enveloping me.
“Well, well, looks like some things never change. Left town a whore and come back as one. At least you’re movin’ up in the world now that you’ve wrangled a Davis man.”
I can hear the slur in her voice, but I don’t let that excuse her behavior. She’d say the same thing if she were sober.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Clayton seethes angrily.
“I’m talkin’ to my daughter, not you.”
“No, you’re talkin’ to my Caroline, not yours. She isn’t anything to you.”
Since I haven’t turned yet, I see Quinn and Leighton with their husbands gaping at the scene my mother is creating. When I look up at Clayton, his rage making the muscles in his jaw clench and jump, I frame his face in my hands and force him to look away from Misty Michaels.
“I need to do this without you actin’ like my shield, honey.” I see the refusal on the tip of his tongue but shake my head before he can voice it. “I need this to finally move on.”
His chest swells with a deep breath and I know it costs him, but he nods sharply. I turn, his grip only loosening enough to allow me to face her before tightening again. He’ll give me his silence and allow me to fight my own battle here, but that doesn’t mean he’s won’t make his support known.
I address her in a strong and clear voice. “What do you want?”
She sneers at me, teeth bared, making her weathered face look as evil as I know her to be. “That’s no way to speak to your mother.”
“You’re right,” I agree. “But you stopped bein’ that a long time ago. So I’ll ask you again, Misty. What do you want?”
Her head jerks back as her scowl deepens. “You little ungrateful bitch!”
Clayton’s arm spasms, and I know he’s close to losing his mind. I reach behind and pat his thigh. I can see a small crowd forming near the restaurant’s entrance, but I don’t care that people are openly gawking. I’m not going back to the woman who was afraid of what they thought. I’m not the one in the wrong here.
“I’m waiting. Say what you need to, but know this is the only chance I’ll allow you the freedom of doin’ so.”
“I shoulda had the doctor suck you outta me the second he told me I was pregnant. Now I’m stuck with my whore daughter and her disrespectful tongue. You should be thankin’ me for keepin’ you.”
I lean my head against Clayton’s chest and laugh. “You have some nerve callin’ me a whore when you can’t even recall who knocked you up in the first place.” I lower my voice, not wanting the whole town to know by morning what I say next. “I’ve been with two men in my life, Misty. One who almost broke me because I was naive enough to think he could follow through on his promise to help me get away, and one who healed me after the first did his best to ruin what you hadn’t already. Seein’ that the latter is also goin’ to be the last man I give myself to, I’d say I’m pretty dadgum close to sainthood. You want to believe I’m a whore, then you do so, but when I crawl into bed at night with the man I love with every fiber of my bein’, I’m gonna do that knowin’ that my life is finally perfect and your opinion no longer matters.”
I watch the woman who gave birth to me, the same one who never gave me any love afterward, sputter in shock. I’ve never spoken back to her. I didn’t when I was growing up, still under the impression that I wanted and needed her love. I didn’t when I was a teenager, seeking out the wrong company in an attempt to fill the void she created. And I didn’t when I begged her to save me. I carried the burden I felt with her inability to care about me for nearly thirty years, but no more. Never again.
“Do me a favor,” I finally say when she continues to look confused that I’m not breaking under her verbal abuse. “Pretend you had that abortion. When you see me, Clayton, or anyone else in our family, act like we’re invisible. Look right through us, Misty, because we’re goin’ to do the same to you.”
I turn awkwardly in Clayton’s stiff grasp and hug my arms around him. I can feel the power of his fury in the tension-filled muscles that are flexed hard. I ignore her, hoping she’ll just leave. With my cheek against his chest, I hear her attempt to speak up.
“Shut your goddamn mouth.” Clayton rumbles venom-filled words that seem to explode from deep in his gut. “You don’t want to find out what happens if you continue this, Misty. Don’t fuck with me, because I will end you if you even so much think about my Caroline.”
I squeeze him tighter, not in fear or panic over the confrontation with the woman who used to make me feel those things, but to reassure him that I’m fine. When he finally relaxes his body slightly, I know she’s left. I keep hugging him for another second until I feel a little more tension leave his body—only then do I look up at him.
“It feels good to forget,” I whisper, knowing he understands what I’m saying when his anger vanishes instantly. I’d thought he was speaking out of his ear when he explained how he moved on from his own mama’s hurt, but not anymore. She’ll never deserve my forgiveness, so I’m going to forget her instead—just like he did his.
“Uh, guys?”
Clayton turns us together at Quinn’s voice. She looks over the bed of his truck and gives a tiny wave. I scan the other three people at her side and frown when I get to her husband’s pale face.
“I don’t mean to interrupt what I’m sure was about to get interestin’ and all, seein’ that you just admitted you love my big brother at the same time you put your mama in her place so brilliantly, but my water broke five minutes ago and my vagina-pokin’ husband has seemed to forget every year of medical school, because I’m not sure he’s breathin’ anymore.”